davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-08-05
Two Anecdotes of Grant.

"The first time lever saw Grant was when
he came to take command of the army.
This was at Brandywine Station. We had
been accustomed to see Mcclellan, Hal
leck, Burnside, and the other Generals 90
about from brigade to brigade and division
to division attended by cloud of gor-
geously uniformed staff officers, and, of
course, We expect that Grants arrival
would have great deal of show in it. We
were awaiting his arrival, knowing that he
was on his way, when freight train rolled
in. There was a caboose on the end, and
out jumped two men. One of them was
He wore black SLOUGH hat, tipped down
on his eyes, and as he picked his way over
the railroad tracks to the station soldier
who had been at Fort Donelson shouted,
Here's Grant, boys On the platform
was General ingalls,, the Commissary
General of the army, and who was one Of
Grants classmates He recognized his old
comrade, and they shook hands for q mo-
ment Then Ingalls, invited his command
er to take seat in q four hand, which
was waiting. 1t was raining, but Grant
stood awhile and looked over the turnout;
then he got inside, and drove to headquar-
ters. General ingalls, had provided a most
magnificent dinner for the new commander.
OranC SNu ana aIo heartily. anu, alCeI uo
had finished, he turned and inquired In
gals, where did you get all this stuff?'
The Commissary General replied, with
some pride, that he had it brought
down from Washington expressly for
the event. Then Grant wanted to know if
the soldiers were in the habit of getting a
layout like that. Upon being answered in
the negative, Grant said: Ingalls,, have
been in the habit of eating soldiers IA
tons. What's good enough for them is
good enough for me- Ingalls, didn't neg
lect to take the hint, and there We're no
more gorgeous banquets after that in the
headquarters Of the Army Of the Potomac.
After this episode Grant smoked, and final
ly said: 'One more question, ingalls,.
Where did you get that four-in-hand?' Tt
has been attached to the headquarters for
the use of the commanding General for a
long time, sir. was the response. Grant
never changed his expression as he replied:
L don't want it here, Rufus; the next time
we need it it will be used in the field as an
ambulance And it was"
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-08-05

About the time the niger left T WOO w.
iieved and returning to the squad 1st re- re-
sentinel, who I knew would be On net d .ae
about l o'clock, and who happened l ~ nI ~
one OF my mess, into the secret. ' " 70
y was awfully afraid the blamed n;ooo,
would beat me, but determined to r;s Is &
ana az the appointed time marched to ths
katchen door and knocked. ~ VIC
"sWho dat?'
the niger. - "1n'lcAing
is you de one wut fotch i'm 'erey sbe
"Cose I is. How'd know de tuckv wos
ere eft didn't fotch I'M? REPLIED Win Nus .
Show of Impotence. Han i'm ont "A'n q
she seemed satisfied, and bringing the
turkey to the door grabbed him, handed
ne ia dollar, and skipped. N>|S~'
sDo9n'tyou forget about my mess having
s a fat time over afifteen- pound gobbler that hat
When the Colonel rolled ont of his
blankets in the morning and was told th hat
his turkey had been gobbled, the bows In Of
the regiment thought there was a bis re-
yiyal in full blast at his quarters. But i
dldntsound like religious service to mel
And then Joe smiled.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-08-05
A Heavy Battle.

In the year 1862 I enlisted in Com
pany G and was taken down the Mississippi
on steamboat as far as st. Louis, and
from there to the fort, where l remained
two months Ny first battle was in the
night-a dark, drizzly, rainy night. Part
of the regiment was fighting and part
sleeping in corn-field in which were rivu-
let's of water. We used to roll over and
let the water run by, and then roll back
and try to sleep again. We moved to a
little mound the next morning. and
there stayed for two days, during which we
could obtain no water, as we supposed, save
that in the horse tracks. After We had
been there two days we started off and
crossed over to the other side of the little
mound Oh which we had encamped. There
was as nice spring of water as ever
dubbed above the ground. We felt SO an
noyed at having drunk rain water when a
good, cool spring was SO handy that as we
marched to Pensacola we destroyed tract
of land lust about one milo in width, out of
pure spite.
On reaching Pensacola, we thought we
were going to have a hard fight to capture
the fort We threw up intrenchments and
made ready for heavy battle; but when
the time came to storm the fort we made O
bold dash and found only three old, gray
headed men on guard. A more surprised
company than ours was never before seen.
LAWRENCE ZHINs.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-08-05

war. Since that time we have received infor-
nation that Avery Brown, "The Drummer
Boy of the Cumberland, lays claim to be-
ing the youngest soldier and slbstantiates
his claim with undeniable facts.
Avery Brown was born ut Delphos, Allen
County, Ohio, on September %, 1852. On
August Is, 1861, he was mustered into the
United States service at Camp Chase, Co.
lumbus, Ohio, and Joined Company G,
Thirty first Ohio Volunteer Infantry, First
Brigade, Second Division, Fourteenth Ar
my Corps. His age, therefore, at muster,
was eight years, eleven months and thirteen
days. which certainly entities him to the
distinction of being the youngest enlisted
soldier in the civil war. His claim is con-
coded by all other reputed claimants. At
present Mr.. Brown resides at Elkhart, Ind.
He is marble-cutter by trade and mu-
stefan Of no mean ability. He is highly
respected as citizen and as member Of
the Grand Army post, is generous to a
fault, and is ever ready to lend his aid to
all worthy objects of charity, is genial,
God-fearing gentleman, and conducts him.
self with the dignity becoming man Of
his distinction and reputation as "The
Drummer Boy of the Cumberland" Chit
cGOO Led0er
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-08-05
FRu1T-RA1s1NG.
Orchard Enemies,

We hear it remarked frequently that the
myriads Of fruit, plant, and vegetable de-
vouring insects with which we must con-
tend 10 secure even portion of either is
enough 10 discourage those engaged in their
production. From this respondent view I
dissent, as we have found, by the aid of
science, a remedy for such difficulties in
each case rs fast as they are presented,
ana usually the means are simple; indeed,
the main remedies being determined per-
eistence in the application of the means of
determination. Itsometimes takes num-
Der of seasons of suffering, and the ex-
pounding cline upon line," to awaken to
the fact that there is remedy and the real
necessity of thorough use. Having from
childhood been the watchful guardian Of
plant life in and out doors. I confess to a
blood thirstiness for the destruction of all
such pests and q propensity to destroy
them, SO when our learned scientists show
us way make haste in its practices
Wormy apples have been "thorn in the
flesh" with us as with every orchardist we
know for years. We have kept the swine
in tho orchard from the first falling OF the
green apples and until they were fattened,
have plowed, planted, seeded by turns.
with no perceptible diminution of the
enemy which forestal;ed us in the possess
slOnS oA spy anu DaluWlu, atuei III olAeA NC
lights Of the orchards, until disgust took
The tie place of appetite for apples. Last
spring the remedy proposed by, think,
Prof. Cook, to spray the trees with london
purple and paris green, was in this wise
# only the spraying can be attended to,
let it be when apples are the size of peas,
but if two, which is better, let the first be
done when the flowers fade. We sprayed
at the time when the fruit was the size of
pees, no larger, and it was emphatically
tho thing. The yield was immense, of
good sound fruit, and bushels Of apples
With never worm. 1t seemed miraculous.
! advise every one who owns an apple tree
to spray it with solution of paris green;
This spraying comes at busy season, but
It is job that can be hurried through, and
800 to 400 trees con be done in day with
water handy. I think the best guide for
strength of solution is the color of it, and
should be only pale green, as, no doubt,
If too strong the foliage and likely the fruit
will be blackened, or as if scorched, and
enough is just enough. We put some in
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-08-05
Stealing the Majors Supper.

The urgent demand by SO many soldiers
10 confess" or give some positive infor-
nation in regard to this and that little ;r.
regularity, writes NJ. V. Ashby in the Trib-
une, has prompted me to tell story.
especially since one of the fellows, now at
Fort Dodge. Iowa, appears to have forgot
zen mat ne was party, and the fellow at
Kansas City is SO busy in the boom
there that probably he has forgotten that
ne ever was In the army and party in this
present account. The other brave fellow
passed to the other world while battling at
Rocky Face, Georgia, with the rank of
Sergeant, and q Lieutenant's commission
in his knapsack.
In July, 1861, detail from Company I,
Third Iowa, and detail from Company I.
Sixteenth Illinois, with the Majors of the
regiments, started out on scout looking
for some rebels near Kirksville, Missouri.
After dusty ride in wagons the party
stopped for supper. The scarcity Of ra-
tons was noticed, and the fact that green
corn was ripe for table use was the occasion
for supply from the fields near, as we'll as
some vegetables from the gardens.
Every one was soon eating very good
supper. Every one? No. There was one,
an officer (Major. Stone, of the Third
Iowa, who solemnly said, with some very
emphatic words, that he would not eat any
thing that was "jaynawked," "con6scated,"
Stolen" He was cordially invited to dine
with the boys of the Illinois company, but
he was Of the opinion that all the food
taken by both companies was stolen, and
declined.
To provide for himself, he went to q
house near by and asked young lady to
bake him some cornbread. She soon had
the bread ready for the table. And here
came in the terrible appetite of those fell
lows, who still refuse to confess. Not hav-
ing tasted cornbread for sixty days, they
laid diabolical plot TO get taste of that
"ponc." The bread was placed on a table
near the window. Two or three soldiers
were loafng around outside, and while the
young lady was out after milk the bread
was slipped out of the window, and the trio
Went behind the smoke-house and ate the
Majors supper.
AS soon as the young lady returned she
noticed the bread was gone, and, address,
ing the Major, she said: Mister, some
body has taken that 'pone.'" Then the
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-08-05
BEE-KEEP1Na.
spri,.g Management of Bees.


The first work performed by the bees
when the weather permits them to come
out OF the hive is to clean out the filth and
accumulations of the winter. Dead bees
are thrown out, and every portion Of the
hive is put in order for the labor of the
coming season. It is very important that
the colonies be very strong and nervous.
A good, strong colony is worth three or
four weak ones. The profits from bee
keeping depend partly upon the skill of the
manager. Bees cannot make honey unless
they have the honey producing
plants to work upon, and the re-
suits depend somewhat upon the season.
In those sections where fruit growing is
made specially the bees have oil the work
they can do early in the season, but after
the blossoms are gone they often have to
range over large extent of country in
search of honey, and this subjects the
hive to loss of many of its members.
Birds, spiders, toads and other enemies
play havoc with them, while sudden
shower will sometimes destroy large
number before they can return to the hive.
10 make the keeping of bees business
properly there should be certain crops
grown partially for their benefit, such as
buckwheat, upon which the bees will work
lndustriously. The red clover would pro-
vide m excellent means of honey but for
the fact that the flower is too deep for the
bees to work in; but the ordinary white
clover, alsike clover and other grasses are
put to good service. With the improved
hives the bees are allowed first to Store up
the food required for their use in winter,
and they are not robbed of that supply,
but if they have plenty of blossoms to work
on they are provided with extra boxes.
This is an excellent mode, as the beekeeper
is compelled to bear the loss instead Of
the bees, which induces him to resort to
oil available expedients to provide the bees,
with something from which derive honey.
The habits of bees must be studied, and
they require careful management. Work
is required to manage them properly, as
they cannot always be kept with profit un-
less all the conditions are favorable.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-08-05
Hints for Housekeepers.

INDIAN meal should be purchased in
small quantities and kept covered.
WHITING or ammonia in the water is
preferable to soap for cleaning windows or
paint.
SALT sprinkled over anything that is
burning on the stove will prevent any dis
agreeable odor.
A VEGETABLE acid, such as lemon juice
or cider, is said to be sure specific for
most cases of scarlet fever.
PICKLES should never be kept in glazed
ware, as the vinegar forms a poisonous
compound with the glazing.
NEVER scratch the ears with anything
but the finger if they itch. Do not use the
head of pin, hairpins, pencil tips or any
thing Of that nature.
KEEP all the apparatus for cleaning
lamps on an old tray, and never use rags,
brushes, scissors or any of the articles for
any other purpose than trimming lamps.
A MIXTURE which is said to be cure
for undue perspiration of the hands is
made of quarter of an ounce of powdered
alum, the white of one egg, and enough
bran to make thick paste. After wash
ing the hands apply this; let it remain on
the hands two or three minutes and then
wipe off with dry, soft towel. Luke
warm water is better than hot or cold if
he skin is tender or inclined ~ "',H''.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-08-05
Iu1uc of U,.derdrainage.

Mr.. NJ. W. stratton, of Reading. Kansas,
gives his experience with tile drainage in
the Breeders Gosette as follows: One
year ago laid about 5000 feet of drain
tile, varying IN size from three to six
inches. My land is bottom and second
bottom, and on field of 100 acres was a
shallcw pond Of water of an acre or more
and fiat ravine that took the overflow of
water from several hundred acres of land
above me. The ravine and most of the
pond could pillow in dry time, but could
never raise much but weeds upon it. The
water would stand upon it for days and
weeks after rain, destroying the crop,
and also preventing the pillow or cultivator
from passing through those places in the
field dug trench about foot wide at
the top and six or eight inches wide at the
bottom. and from thirty to forty inches
deep. Tho trench was made smooth and
level OIL the bottom, and with fall of
from one to two inches to the rod Zone
inoh will dol, so there would be no dead
or back water in the thing "a low place in
tho tile will fill with sand or mud and pre-
vent part or all of the outlet.
Three or four inch tile is large enough
for draining slope where the land is wet
or springy, and will carry off the water SO
it can be powed in day or two after a
rain, and the slope will be as dry as the
upland. But in this wide ravine put six
inch tile, and here, where we had planted
corn for five years past and never got much
but weeds, only now and then an ear of
corn, this year we raised the best corn we
had, about sixty bushels to the acre. We
also put six-inch tile through the pond
hole, and now no water stands in it over
twenty-fonr hours after a rain. Here I
had corn that would go fifty bushels to
the acre. think we have ten acres of land
in this 12O-acre field that heretofore was
waste land, and it ran across the field in
such way as to hinder working it some-
times fcr week after rain, but now we
can plow or cultivate where the tile is in as
we'll the next day after rain as we can
the driest part of the field.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-08-05

air was blue with the wrath of that official.
All the words of the English language were
used to express his condemnation of the
men who would steal, and especially on
such an occasion.
Major Hayn, of the Sixteenth Illinois,
invited Major Stone to come and dine with
him, for, although supper was over, there
would be found enough for one meal at
least. No, he would not, but drank the
milk and paid for it, and then the troops
started for camp. Along that dark road
"Who stole Major Stones 'poneY" And
then, as during the past twenty-five years,
not q word was said. It was understood
by two or three Of Company I, Sixteenth
Illinois, that it surely must be some of the
Majors own regiment, as the other troops
were not personally acquainted with him,
and would have no occasion to want any OF
his "pones."
For several days an effort was made to
find the guilty soldiers, but they escaped
that time, sure. No one seemed to enjoy
this little incident more than the Colonel
and Major of the Sixteenth Illinois. The
Colonel, when it was communicated to him
the next day, said it was bad for soldiers
to treat their officers so, and he knew none
of his troops would ever do SO wicked
thing.
One omission in my story may be added
here. From the ground to the window it
was seven or eight feet, and it was neces-
sary to "boost" the outside man, and this
required the strength Of two Of his fellows.
1 sometimes feel tired yet, for we held that
fellow up SO long waiting for the party III
side to act. Another point In regard to MY
share of the bread. On account of having
lust dined on corn, fried duck, tomatoes,
and several other articles of food, it is my
recollection that only tasted the bread to
see if the young lady was good cook, as
was not hungry at the time.
Now in regard to Major Stone-his rec
ord is good, and we have him here in Iowa
as an en- Govenor-I feel sure that to-day
he will not shower upon our loyal heads
what he did in 1861, and think in regard
to foraeing in tho enemys country his
opinions have probably changed. After
fine experience of the subsequent years OF
the war. I feel that the same thing would
he done again with improved method.
This occasion was our first ride IN army
wooons and on that occasion all the hol-
lowness of a soldier was developed after
being iolted over rough roads Tor nfteen
miles. The most of the squad were volun-
teers for the occasion, and it was not neces-
sorv to draft when the attack was made on
the Majors supper. y o..;r - 80
oonsa was necessary for such commercial
relation; and, then, the Government gave
free passes, and we accepted them on al
occasions. The fact exists, however, !nas
on some occasions the Government 'nS1'eo
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-08-05
sTocK-BREEDING.
Beginning the Stool, Business.

6egtnntnD tie Stock Business.
My beginning in the stock business was
humble enough. got few Plymouth
Rock chickens, and sold eggs enough to
buy two little pigs. Then I got SOW.
We saved everything! All the dish water
was poured into the swill barrel, and grain
or mill feed mixed with it. We gave the
pigs plenty of green food, and crowded
them right up to the market. They helped
us to buy young COW and calf. The
skim milk went to the pigs, and the sur
plus butter helped out our little treasury.
In due time pair of weaving mare colts
could be bought. At two years old they
did considerable work, and at three years
they were a good, trusty team. 1t was
easy enough to multiply and improve this
stock after it was once paid for. It was
like young mans fortune; the first 500
comes the hardest. It has been my motto
in breeding stock, if could not afford to
pay for the services of thoroughbred
male, to wait till could, rather than send
to scrub and run in debt. This policy has
paid me we'll. Hundreds of farmers never
get good start. They don't turn the
little things.-E. B., IN Rural Ne,p Yorker.
yutertn0 Horses.
It is claimed by scientific men and
practical veterinarians, that horses should
not be watered just after eating their
regular meal of grain. When horse or
man has eaten a full meal there is flow of
blood in the workings of the stomach to aid
in digestion. This makes desire for a
horses, and is felt by individuals. In the
case of horses, they have small stomachs
in proportion to their size, and if it be we'll
filled with hay and grain, if pail of water
is given to a horse in that condition, it
forces the food in the stomach into the
smaller intestines, and rapidly through
them into the larger intestines. In this
position the digestion Of food is impossi-
BILE, and will cause what is termed scours.
How often have teamsters and travellers
found their horses, three or four hours
after eating and drinking, with scours too
bad to continue on their journey, until rest
and time restored them from the natural
results of Indigestion. If a horse is
worked just before eating, and is given a
large quantity, his stomach being empty,
it lowers the temperature of the stomach
beyond that at which digestion will pro-
before digestion will commence, in which
case there is danger that fermentation will
commence, evolving gas, which causes
colics, bellyaches, and scours. In all these
matters every man or boy should be edu-
Gated how to feed and water horse, and
to comprehend the reasons for each action
of Withholding food or water at certain
times. The best horsemen do not water q
horse for an hour and q half or two hours
after eating. The old saying is that q
horse has more sense than a man-as he
will not drink too much. This is one of
the greatest mistakes in the care of the
heated and the stomach empty. He will
also drink too much when the first heat
caused by digestion commences. Study
these questions, and learn how to feed and
water horses during the heated term which
now commences.-Des Moines Register.